There needs to be oodles of sense and sensibility whilst decluttering with someone else. After all, you’re going through their treasured belongings, and often their most intimate things. There has to be complete mutual trust.
Decluttering for yourself is frequently time consuming, exhausting and disheartening
Even though this is what I do for a living, I find having someone else beside me whilst I declutter essential. It can be a common-sense check. Or a help to get you through a brick wall of indecision. And it’s always much more fun. And life needs some fun in it. Even when’s it’s doing something like decluttering.
I’ve been working with a lovely client over the last few weeks, who is a self-confessed hoarder. She finds it impossible to throw anything away. She’s a “just in case I find a use for it” person. And she’s a “I spent a lot of money on that so I’d better keep it and use it” person. She’s also a “let’s do it tomorrow” person. And she’s a “it’s all too overwhelming I just can’t do it” person.
Consequently, you couldn’t see her kitchen table or even get through the door to her bedroom (she had moved to sleeping in the spare room which appeared to be multiplying and growing in contents by the day like a living creature).
Her house was becoming unsafe. She knew it was all out of control. But driving her was the desire to sell her house and move to something smaller and more manageable. She knew she couldn’t optimise the sale price of her house in the condition it was in.
Challenge decluttering preconceptions
It turns out that she doesn’t have to be “just in case I find a use for it” person. After our first session, it became clear that she needs to be able to see where everything is, which is why it’s on the surfaces.
It turns out she didn’t need to be a “just in case I find a use for it” person. As long as she knew it was being repurposed. Or going to a good new home. That was enough.
It turned out that also worked for the “I spent a lot of money on that so I’d better keep it and use it” items too.
And once we’d started, she realised it wasn’t as painful as she’d thought. She stopped being a “let’s do it tomorrow” and “it’s all too overwhelming” person.
During the second session, she admitted that she didn’t need all “this stuff” but couldn’t bear to throw it out.
By the third session, she trusted me enough to tackle her bedroom.
By the end, she felt lighter, less depressed and more in control of her life. I’m not saying that I’ve cured her hoarding tendencies – I’m not a miracle worker!! But the house is ready to go on the market. And prospective buyers will see the field of daffodils not piles of “stuff”.
Tact. Diplomacy. Empathy. Patience. Non-judgemental. Tenacity. These are good qualities. But sense and sensibility whilst decluttering sum it up.
If you’re looking to sell your house, any estate agent will tell you clutter and uncleanliness are big turn offs. Optimise the price of your house with a deep clean. And a deep declutter.
Don’t let the stress of decluttering stop you, or a loved one, moving house. Hopefully the concept of sense and sensibility whilst decluttering calms you. If you would like a chat about how the Homemover Specialist could help, contact us on 01483 255895 or by email. For more top tips and latest news make sure you follow our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram page
